Letter: Republicans and Democrats get it wrong on immigration

Saturday

Jul 26, 2014 at 3:00 PM

All wrong on immigration

In his July 9 letter, William Burns complained that Vice President Joe Biden sponsored an amendment to the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000. That bill passed, so it really makes no difference who sponsored it. He goes on to refer to the 2008 bill that was also passed by Congress — both houses — and then signed into law by President George W. Bush in his last year in office.

The legality of the bill has not, as yet, been challenged in the Supreme Court. This now being a law of the land, how can Mr. Burns call the people coming to the U.S. claiming refugee status “illegal aliens” prior to having their day in court, as the law specifies? Until they have had their day in court, they are in the U.S. as refugees and are here legally.

In my opinion, both the Republicans and the Democrats are responsible for the mess we find ourselves in today. It’s just one political game after another and not likely to change in the foreseeable future.